Food 4 Thought Issue 64

ENJOY CRISPIER, TASTIER RESULTS WITH

Easey’s restaurant / bar is Melbourne’s most unique eatery. Specialising in good old fashioned American-style burgers, Easey’s is also perched on the rooftop of a five story building in the hip suburb of CollinGwood, using three disused Melbourne metro train carriages of the 90’s and 2000’s as a dining venue. Inside the graffiti covered carriages remain the original orange and brown seats (cleaned of course), a bar and stunning views of the city and the Dandenong Ranges.

How did you get started in the industry?

I got started in hospitality / food through an undeniable passion for burgers! At age 15 I started working at Maccas. is became the beginning of my passion and love of the burger. In 2010 I started a burger blog after a trip to America, where over the course of 16 days, I ate 64 burgers. I blogged and rated every burger consumed to the nest detail. In August 2012 I started my Instagram feed speci cally on burger reviews and also published e Burger Book – a 200 page guide to every Burger in Victoria. In order to achieve this I ate over 1,000 burgers in a year; that is about 2 and a half burgers a day.

Where have you worked?

McDonald’s, Peter Rowland Catering in Flemington as a bar supervisor and I also worked in intellectual property law.

What was your best dining experience and why?

I received a tweet from Danni, the owner of the Pavilion Restaurant in Dandenong, saying we've got some great burgers on our menu. Of course I went there to try some. ey ended up being awesome burgers and this became the start of a great friendship and business partnership.

What are you most proud of as a foodie?

Writing and having my book e Burger Book published, as well as creating and opening Easey's restaurant.

OWNER JIMMY HURLSTON

What has been your biggest professional blunder?

Sometimes being too trusting of people.

What do you enjoy outside the kitchen?

Sport. I will watch and enjoy all sorts of sports; if there’s people running around with a ball or a bat, I’m there.

what products are making life easier in the kitchen?

e Edgell Beer Battered Diamond Chips go so well with our burgers –We use them with a delicious chilli cheese sauce and customers love ‘em.

What are your thoughts on the industry?

I feel businesses need to embrace competition better by sharing knowledge and celebrate peoples love for food. Competition is a good thing.

What trends do you think will impact the industry in the next 5 years?

e ability and frequency that consumers are reviewing venues needs to change. Too much negative feedback can be detrimental to businesses. People should perhaps take the time to write more positive reviews. As far as food trends go, I think American BBQ style slow and low cooked meats, as well as frozen treats such as gourmet gelati are some food trends which I think will just take o .

Enjoy the taste of success.

Building a successful takeaway business is all about mouth watering food, so crisp and light it keeps your customers coming back week after week.

Achieving the best taste is simple -:

1. Source only the finest ingredients.

2. Protect their natural flavours using a Hi-performance, Hi-Oleic frying oil.

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[+] Superior Drain-off

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[+] Neutral Taste

- Neutral oil flavour for the life of the oil.

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To order your 20L tin of Pura Enhance contact your local distributor.

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CAN! IT’S IN THE

When shopping and eating out, more and more people are looking for healthier options. If you’re looking to ride the health wave and stay on it, it’s best to use foods with well researched benefits rather than jumping on the latest fad as they’re more likely to stick around for the long term1...

Take whole grains for example, they have been a diet staple in multiple countries for centuries. And, while some fad diets avoid them, they’re still recommended today in many Dietary Guidelines around the world, including in Australia2

Grains, especially whole grains, are an essential part of a healthy diet. All grains are good sources of high quality carbohydrates, as well as key vitamins and minerals including B vitamins and iron. Grains are also naturally low in fat and to top it all o , research has shown they can lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and other health

. Evidence also shows people who eat three to ve serves of grains every day (mainly whole grain) have a reduced risk of weight gain2. To get the bene ts from whole grains, the Grains

MEGAN ALSFORD

wholegrains the whole story on

and Legume Nutrition Council recommend to eat grains 3-4 times a day, choosing at least half as whole grain3

With such great nutrition credentials no wonder 29% of people in the Asia-Paci c Region say they are looking for foods with whole grains in them. And what’s better, is they’re also willing to pay a premium for them1. Ancient grains in particular are receiving a lot of interest, so much so that they’re one of the key predicted nutrition trends for 2015 and beyond4

What Makes a Grain whole ?

For a grain to be considered whole, it must have all three of these components:

• Bran – the outer layer

• Endosperm

• Germ

Whole grain foods are those foods made from ground whole grains as well as intact, cracked or aked grain so long as three components above are still in the same ratios found in an intact grain3 Examples of whole grains are wheat, rice, oats, corn (maize), rye, barley and triticale. Interestingly, the new kids on the block are actually very old and

include ‘ancient’ whole grains such as millet, sorghum, te and freekah as well as di erent varieties of wheat such as kamut, einkorn and farro (emmer).

Amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa are often called whole grains but they technically belong to another family. However, because they still have many of the same nutrients as whole grains and are eaten in the same why, they can still be considered as whole grains3

How to add more whole grains to your menu

• Add substance to salads by adding new grains, you’ll love the added texture and nutty avours. Try brown couscous, millet, amaranth or quinoa;

• Mix extra grains into standard recipes at breakfast, such as bircher muesli or in pancakes;

• Try buckwheat noodles (Soba);

• Add barley to soups, casseroles, salads, pilaf or risotto;

• Try making cakes, mu ns and banana breads with half white and half whole meal ours. You might need to experiment to get the balance right;

• Swap white breads for grainy breads.

REFERENCES

1. Nielson 2015, We are what we eat: Healthy eating trends around the world, Global Health and Wellness Report

2. National Health and Medical Research Council 2013, Australian Dietary Guidelines, Canberra, NHMRC

3. Grains and Legume Nutrition Council 2013, Code of practice for whole grain ingredient content claims, GLNC.

4. Mellentin, J 2014, 10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition & Health 2015, New Nutrition

MILLET

SORGHUM

Quick and easy slider kits with meat filling and brioche buns. – Get creative with your own additional ingredients!

ANGUS BEEF

what you get...

Slider Buns Angus Beef Patties

PULLED PORK what you get...

Buns Pulled Pork BBQ Sauce

Australia’s well-known scientific body, the CSIRO, has discovered the science demonstrating that a certain type of pear can prevent a hangover by consumption before heavy alcohol intake.

ose looking for a fruit to stop a hangover need to be careful however, as the study has only been performed on Nashi pears (Korean or Asian pears), it is not yet known whether other varieties of pear will help those indulging in alcohol.

Pear juice might be the key as the research participants were given juice instead of whole pears. Lead researcher Professor Manny Noakes has however said that whole pears may have a similar potential. Most importantly, the pear must be consumed prior to drinking, once a hangover has begun it is too late.

If the juice is consumed correctly however it can reduce symptoms, especially helping the body deal better with concentrating after drinking.

e pears also demonstrated an ability to lower blood alcohol levels. According to Professor Noakes, parts of the pears work on enzymes which metabolise alcohol faster and slow down/eliminate alcohol absorption.

e CSIRO says that even though there have been many rumours surrounding good hangover avoidance techniques, little research had been done.

e research was done by the CSIRO in conjunction with Horticulture Innovation Australia. e ndings are part of a preliminary scoping study with the results yet to be nalised.

Scientists are not limiting the pear research to hangover avoidance, as the CSIRO believes that separate research has revealed that the fruit can “lower cholesterol, relieve constipation and have anti-in ammatory e ects.”

CSIRO scientists now intend to perform a thorough review of existing pear-related science literature.

Fragrant City

Like a lot of chefs, I have been fortunate enough to travel to various countries and experience different cuisines along the way. What I have learnt from my travels is that different cities have their own distinctive aroma and one of the most food-fragrant cities in the world would have to be Bangkok.

The first time I travelled there, as soon as the doors of the plane opened, my senses went into overload with the distinct aroma of Thai food. I can’t remember if it was mealtime and everyone in the entire city was cooking fresh curries all at once, but the smell was awesome.

The fragrance of kaffir lime, cooked garlic, galangal, spices and fresh fruit (not durian thank goodness, that’s another smell altogether!) flooded into the place. It was heaven.

Because of it’s uniqueness, Thai cuisine is still my favourite food.

Regards and eat well!

Mark Baylis

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Tricks of the TRADE

1. Get the right cut of

The best cut of meat for Massaman is chuck. Cook it slowly until tender with your curry. It has the right amount of collagen to keep it moist during long cooking times.

2. The finishing touch

meat for your curry for authentic flavour

Don’t forget to add fresh kaffir lime leaves to your curries to give it that distinctive Thai flavour.

Eating spicy food more frequently as part of a daily diet is associated with a lower risk of death, suggests a new study published in the latest British Medical Journal (BMJ). Reduced risks of death include cancer and ischaemic heart and respiratory diseases. is is an observational study so no de nitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and e ect, but the authors call for more research that may “lead to updated dietary recommendations and development of functional foods.” Previous research has suggested that bene cial e ects of spices and their bioactive ingredient, capsaicin, include anti-obesity, antioxidant, anti-in ammation and anticancer properties.

So an international team led by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences examined the association between consumption of spicy foods as part of a daily diet and the total risk and causes of death.

e researchers undertook a prospective study of 487,375 participants, aged 30-79 years, from the China Kadoorie Biobank. Participants were enrolled between 2004-2008 and followed up for morbidities and mortality.

All participants completed a questionnaire about their general health, physical measurements, and consumption of spicy foods, and red meat, vegetable and alcohol.

Participants with a history of cancer, heart disease, and stroke were excluded from the study, and factors such as age, marital status, level of education, and physical activity were accounted for. During a median follow-up of 7.2 years, there were 20,224 deaths.

Compared with participants who ate spicy foods less than once a week, those who consumed spicy foods 1 or 2 days a week were at a 10% reduced risk of death (hazard ratios for death was 0.90). And those who ate spicy foods 3 to 5 and 6 or 7 days a week were at a 14% reduced risk of death (hazard ratios for death 0.86, and 0.86 respectively).*

In other words, participants who ate spicy foods almost every day had a relative 14% lower risk of death compared to those who consumed spicy foods less than once a week.

e association was similar in both men and women, and was stronger in those who did not consume alcohol. Frequent consumption of spicy foods was also linked to a lower risk of death from cancer, and ischaemic heart and respiratory system diseases, and this was more evident in women than men.

Fresh and dried chilli peppers were the most commonly used spices in those who reported eating spicy foods weekly, and further analysis showed those who consumed fresh chilli tended to have a lower risk of death from cancer, ischaemic heart disease, and diabetes. Some of the bioactive ingredients are likely to drive this association, the authors explain, adding that fresh chilli is richer in capsaicin, vitamin C, and other nutrients. But they caution against linking any of these with lowering the risk of death.

Should people eat spicy food to improve health? In an accompanying editorial, Nita Forouhi from the University of Cambridge says it is too early to tell, and calls for more research to test whether these associations are the direct result of spicy food intake or whether this is a marker for other dietary or lifestyle factors.

* A hazard ratio is a measure of how often a particular event happens in one group compared to how often it happens in another group, over time.

ICE FO OD

IS A PART

In the last Food 4 ought magazine (Issue 63) I raised a concern of mine that many food businesses may not have considered that ice is a food… after all it is consumed in very high volumes, and used for a range of purposes including:

• As an ingredient that is blended (i.e. smoothies and cocktails);

• To chill soft drinks and mixed drinks;

• To refresh blanched vegetables and pasta;

• To chill garnishes on the pass;

• As an ingredient in fresh sausages (instead of chilled water);

• As a base on bu ets;

• To display fresh sh (i.e. retail sh shops or sh and chip shops that sell fresh sh).

erefore it is vital that you handle this ingredient as safely and as hygienically as possible (it should be treated like a piece of cheese or freshly cut fruit).

If you do not have an ice machine and are purchasing ice in bags, you should think about:

• Where you are going to store the ice? Don’t store the bags:

• Under or with raw meats and raw seafood;

• On the oor of the freezer;

• On wooden pallets or other surfaces that are hard to clean.

• Given that many hotels and restaurants now only purchase their food from HACCP Certi ed Suppliers, you should apply the same principles to your ice supplier.

USING ICE MACHINES

If you have an ice machine, you need to handle and store the ice hygienically by:

• Keeping the scoops out of ice machines (It is a cross contamination risk if you leave them on top of the ice);

• Remembering that the ice scoops used in your ice machines are a food contact surface and need to be cleaned and sanitised daily;

• Using dedicated buckets for transferring ice from the machine to where it is needed. It is vital that you don’t share buckets with the kitchen or stewarding, or use buckets that have been used for rubbish or waste;

• Not storing excess ice in garbage bags;

• Discarding all ice that has been used on bu ets or display cabinets (don’t use it again for chilling foods or in drinks);

• Cleaning and sanitising the inside of ice machines (as I indicated in Issue 63).

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

For all bars that handle and store ice:

• Keep the scoops or cups out of the ice well (It is a cross contamination risk if you leave them on top of the ice –especially from barmen handling dirty glasses or rubbish);

• Don’t leave ice in ice wells, ice caddies and ice buckets overnight;

• Clean and sanitise ice wells, ice caddies, ice buckets etc. before they are used, and at the end of each day after they have been emptied;

• Never use a glass container (including drinking glasses) for scooping up the ice;

FIFO workers ( y-in y-out) are a reasonably small but incredibly signi cant part of our workforce in Australia, especially in WA and other mining rich parts of the country. WA alone has over 63,000 FIFO workers. Pinnacle People has FIFO workers on its books around the country, but particularly in NT, WA and QLD. When most people think of FIFO workers, they think of the miners, the drivers and the engineers. But who feeds all of these people?!

Cooks, chefs and kitchen hands are also a part of this workforce. Ensuring that all of those working out in the mines get fed and watered daily – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

e extremely high cost of living in these remote locations and the high cost of relocating families to these regions is what makes the FIFO option such a pro table business decision for many in the mining sector and a good option for some

FLY-I NFLY-OUTWORKERS

AUTHOR WENDY MEAD

workers and families. It is cheaper to y the employee in and out of the location for their work/rest stints, than house them, and recompensate them enough to live in these remote areas.

Unfortunately, there are many negatives for the FIFO worker and their family. Along with the stress that it puts on the family, there are issues of alcohol and other substance abuse, increase in STD’s, mental illness, increase in suicide rates and violence. Something that the Australian Government is looking into deeply at the moment is the sleeping conditions that many of these workers are expected to endure.

Can you imagine coming home from a hot

dirty 12 hour plus shift and then falling into a bed that someone else has just hopped out of to go and do their 12 hour shift?

Or, you are on location – you work a 10 day period sleeping in the same room each night, go home, and when you come back you are in a di erent room. You can’t leave any personal e ects behind, no photos, no memories of the home you are away from for 10 days at a time.

is is called “hot bedding” or “motelling”. A survey undertaken at the end of 2014 of more than 1000 FIFO workers, found this to be happening to 22% of FIFO workers! is is worse in some areas than others, but the fact that it happens at all is quite appalling.

e well-being of FIFO workers needs to be addressed before more lives are lost or ruined.

Low browning

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Minimal oiling off

Great taste

Ideal for high temperature ovens

Perfect Italiano Ultra Mozzarella is perfect for any dish that needs to be cooked at higher temperatures or for longer periods.

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And even though Perfect Italiano Ultra Mozzarella is low browning at higher temperatures it still has all the qualities that have made our Traditional Mozzarella a market favourite.

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FOR THE BEST FROTH...

• Start with cold milk at about 4-8°C which helps get the air in without burning the milk.

• Angle the steam arm around 80-75° with the wand just under the milk surface. This creates a whirlpool, heats evenly, and allows for the perfect amount of air.

• Heat milk to max 65°C to provide optimum taste that won’t overpower the espresso shot.

• Tap the pitcher on the bench to get rid of large bubbles on top.

• Swirl the pitcher to evenly distribute the milk.

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Making the perfect coffee depends on the right combination and consistency of the milk and the quality of the crema.

YOUR WAGE IS PART OF YOUR FOOD BUDGET

When you cost out your new menu, do you look at the cost of ingredients and assume your pro ts come from simply subtracting the food cost from the selling price?

If so, you’re not alone. Most people forget to take the labour involved in a recipe into consideration before deciding whether or not they’re making a pro t from their menu items.

Every year the cost of sta gets higher and higher, and often menu prices are not changed in order to re ect this. When food increases in cost, we instantly recognise the change in theoretical pro ts, but every year when wages increase, we forget to re-evaluate the cost e ectiveness of our more labour intensive recipes.

EXAMPLE

Take a sponge cake for example, the cost of the ingredients is likely to be less than $5 for the entire cake, that you are selling at $6 a slice, with 10 slices out of each cake. On rst glance, it seems extremely pro table to have this on your menu, but then you remember the pastry chef. You remember that you only make one cake at a time and that in between the whisking, the folding, the baking, the cooling, the lling, and the decorating, it is taking him around 1 hour to make this cake. Let’s just say that your pastry chef makes $30 per hour, suddenly your $5 cake becomes a $35 cake and the 10 portions you get

to sell for $6 don’t earn you quite as much money as you thought.

Each business will have a completely di erent result with taking labour into consideration. A café making one cake for example, is likely to nd it unpro table, but the patisserie around the corner making 20 cakes at a time, but still only taking an hour per batch will have a much better pro t margin on their product.

To Make or Buy

As the industry has changed, so have the suppliers. ere are an abundance of ready to serve products available now, from cakes and par baked bread to pulled pork, portion controlled steaks and ready-made sauces. Now, I am not saying that everyone should go out and buy everything pre-made and simply assemble it at your restaurant. In fact, there’s an obvious di erence between a pre-bought and a homemade sauce, which means you’re likely to attract more customers than your competitors who are using a sauce straight out of a packet, and you can often charge more for the better quality food. But, it is de nitely something to take into consideration.

It’s all about the quantity

Just like with the sponge cake, if you work at a restaurant that goes through kilograms of curry

paste each week, it might make sense to make your pastes from scratch as it takes just as long to make 10kg and it does to make 100g. If you only have one dish on your menu that uses the paste, chances are you will waste money on both the time it takes to make the paste, and also on the paste that you will inevitably throw away before it can be used.

It’s a Balancing Act

Whether you make or buy is not a complete one or the other option, you might start buying peeled and diced potatoes for your mash instead of doing it by hand. You don’t have to buy in powdered mash.

You might buy a curry paste and make it your own by adding small alterations to maximise the avour and give it something unique. Food and labour costs are the two biggest costs in hospitality, there’s no point lowering one by increasing the other. Costed recipe cards, and a budgeted roster should work hand in hand to ensure maximum pro tability.

And remember, the more money you help the restaurant make, the more money is left for when it is time for your annual pay rise!

WHY THE NAME ON IT BURGERS?

When on a trip to the U.S. I saw a waitress wearing a t-shirt bearing the words ‘On It’. From that point on it was clear that it was the name to go with. To me it means being on point with your service and providing a quality experience. As well as listening to, and engaging with customers. We have changed our menu 4 times in 6 months and more major changes are coming.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?

I commenced working in the food industry back in 1981 at the McDonald’s Croydon restaurant. I was straight out of school and my mother sent me straight to work. at's how I began in the burger biz. My career with McDonald’s continued for over 27 years doing everything from full-time management to operations consultant to franchise consultant to operations manager.

I was a licensee of 3 di erent outlets at di erent stages here in Victoria and the ACT.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN?

Away from the business I like to dine out, catch some entertainment and travel abroad when I can.

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST DINING EXPERIENCE AND WHY?

I could mention several. Here in Melbourne would have to be Shannon Bennett's Vue De Monde – the views are fantastic, the theatre and service within the venue are excellent and the technique

used to nish o a dessert with liquid nitrogen was quite a memorable experience.

Internationally, the rotating restaurant in New York’s Times Square was also memorable, not only for its culinary delights but also the views that came with it.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST PROFESSIONAL BLUNDER?

I wouldn't say I have made blunders but I should have started my own business venture much earlier than I did.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT?

My successes include quite a long list of achievements spanning over 27 years at McDonald's. I established national service records there, I also trialled the world’s rst suburban McCafé. All great grounding for what I am doing now. I think the fact that Steven Cetin my business partner and I have approximately 100,000 hours of experience in this industry is also a great achievement.

OWNER TONY PLUNKETT

On It B g s e passi ate ab t s rcing the best local products, making all c diments and sauces in-h se and c king prime quality ass fed steak esh. S e of the h se made sauces include: On It Sauce, Cry Baby Sauce and Bac Jam; all unique to On It B g s and c pletely new flav rs to the m ket.

WHAT CHIPS DO YOU SERVE WITH YOUR BURGERS?

e Edgell Supacrunch Ultrafast 10mm. I wanted to source and hand cut our own potatos into fries as a point of di erence and uniqueness but we tested this theory and compared tests to the frozen chips. Sourcing fresh had too many variables and seasonal variation in potato meant availability would be di cult and consistent end product would be an issue, not to mention the preparation and labour costs in doing our own wasn't ideal. We found that the Edgell Supacrunch tted our needs with both our sit-down-dine-in customers as well as the take away customers. e chip’s potato taste and crunchy holding time was the best from our testing with a wide range of brands.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENT AND WHY?

Our manual burger press produces far superior patties to any processed ones in the marketplace.

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET TO SUCCESS?

It's a continuous work in progress to achieve success, you need to keep moving forward. Momentum, momentum, momentum, having said that, once you have set something in place allow it to run unhindered and measure the results.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE INDUSTRY?

Big changes are happening even now with consumers starting to ask the question “Why is this food so cheap?” ey are de nitely interested in what it contains and where is it from – the consumer is getting smarter.

WHAT TRENDS DO YOU THINK WILL IMPACT THE INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?

ere is a move towards ethical sourcing in particular sustainable farming practices and the like. Higher integrity in business dealings particularly along all levels of the supply chain. e Digital Age: Online applications, ordering processes both in supply chain and consumer focused, the continuous search for better quality foods and the home delivery of restaurant quality food.

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A ROLL FOR EVERY MENU

SPEEDIBAKE’S LUNCH ROLL RANGE CAN ENHANCE ANY MENU

Foodservice professionals are under pressure to meet changing consumer tastes and menu expectations. No longer will a simple cheese toastie or packaged sandwich do. Consumers are seeking a wider range of flavours and recipes on a variety of breads. To meet these changing tastes, cafés and other foodservice businesses need to offer versatile menu options.

The Speedibake lunch roll range includes classic sandwich subs and baguettes, and rustic offerings such as panini, sourdough, Turkish, ciabatta and even gourmet hamburger buns. The lunch rolls are available frozen, which means you always have enough product to meet demand. Ideal for creating sandwiches, subs, sliders or as an accompaniment to pastas and soups, the versatile lunch roll range can enhance any menu.

Speedibake’s lunch rolls can be served immediately (once thawed) or flash baked in minutes to achieve a just baked aroma. Conveniently available from your local foodservice distributor. To view the full range of Speedibake lunch rolls visit tiptop-foodservice.com.au

LUNCH ROLLS

8” SLICED SANDWICH SUB WHITE

TURKISH SOFT OVAL LUNCH ROLL

MEATBALLS IN RAGU, JALAPENO MOZZARELLA & PARSLEY

BAHN MI – PORK, ASIAN SLAW, CHILLI & CORRIANDER

AVOCADO, GRILLED CHICKEN, SWISS, CHERRY TOMATO & PESTO

During my recent travels to Greece, I discovered how much the Greeks really do enjoy their souvlakia – the ultimate Greek fast food!

Whether it was meandering through a myriad of country towns in the Peloponnese, or exploring the heart of Athens in the ancient yet vibrant Monastiraki and Plaka district, these ubiquitous packages of yumminess were everywhere!

e main point of di erence with authentic Greek souvlakia is that they traditionally do not contain lamb!

As an Aussie of Greek heritage, my earliest and fondest memory of souvlaki was associated with Greek Easter and lamb… lots of it! Long metal skewers were studded with succulent cubes of lamb from the leg or llet, generously seasoned with salt, pepper and rigani – a wild Greek oregano, more intense in avour than traditional

oregano. In fact, a large variety of Greek foods are adorned with rigani – potatoes, Greek salad, casseroles, BBQ meats… the list is a long one. We also discovered during our Greek travels that when ordering a souvlaki, one had to be quite speci c. Not being a great fan of pork generally, I soon discovered that the pork in Greece was to die for! Oh my, what a discovery! Marbled with just the right amount of fat, this lean white meat provided us with some of the most amazing food tastes in Greece. ere are a few di erent styles of souvlaki available. e term giros (always pronounced yee-ros) refers to shaved cooked meat (generally pork or chicken) o a vertical rotisserie, containing just the right amount of fat to assist with moistness and avour during the cooking process. Kalamaki is a cubed meat skewer cooked over hot coals, enjoyed on its own as fast nger

food on the run or encased in a pita bread as a wrapped souvlaki.

If you were to order ‘giros’ in Greece, chances were that you would be presented with a platter of shaved giros meat accompanied by toasted pita bread triangles, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, onion and tzatziki, essentially a deconstructed souvlaki on a plate. In Greece this is referred to as a ‘meritha’ or portioned plate.

Consequently, we always asked for a tilihto souvlaki (pronounced ti-li-h-to), either giros or kalamaki, depending on what we felt like on the day. is term refers to a wrapped souvlaki. In most restaurants, the choice of meats were either pork or chicken, both delicious!

We loved the way that Greek tilihta souvlakia were always wrapped in a cone shape rather than bon-bon style. ey contained delicious thick

author

and creamy tzatziki, studded with patates tiganites (deep fried potato chips), shredded lettuce, sliced onion and tomato. Simply delicious fare! We spoilt ourselves by always ordering a side of patates tiganites sprinkled with feta and rigani to accompany our souvlaki… mouthwatering stu .

We also loved that the size of Greek souvlakia were so manageable. None of this ‘garlic sauce dripping down your arms’ business here. ey were compact, fuelled empty tummies and more importantly they were pretty healthy overall, leaving us feeling satis ed without being tipped over the edge. I think we can take a leaf out of the Greek’s souvlaki book here with just the right mix of vegetables, dairy, protein and carbohydrates! We were also blown away by the quality of the produce used everywhere. Always fresh and full of avour.

I may be stating the obvious here, but my advice to any travelling foodie is to always ask the locals where to eat. We frequently found ourselves discovering many little gems as a result. One being a lovely hole in the wall diner in a tiny narrow laneway in Mykonos. Here we were served our most memorable chicken souvlaki in Greece, consisting of chicken kalamaki, mixed cabbage slaw dressed with a light vinaigrette, freshly made dijonnaise and patates tiganites. So good that these little piggies ordered seconds! My observations with all the beautiful food we had in Greece was that this country prides itself on the freshness of its produce, and cooking it in a simple way for maximum enjoyment. Well worth celebrating. Kali Orexi!

meritha

tilihto souvlaki

Beer Battered

Edgell 10mm Ultrafast Chips

Edgell Red Kidney Beans

Leggo’s Crushed Tomato

Red Onion

Beef mince

Mexican Seasoning

Shredded Monterey Jack

Edgell Potato Rosti

Rocket leaves

Top Sail Smoked salmon slices

Crème Fraiche

Spanish onion

750g Edgell Instant Mash

250g Edgell Corn Kernels

125g Diced Chorizo

1 Spanish Onion

1 tbsp Fresh Oregano

Coating: Panko Bread Crumbs

Flour Egg

I&J Panko Crumbed Whiting Speedibake Large White Dinner Roll

Coleslaw

Coriander Asian Dressing

Colonial Farm Beef Mini Dim Sims

Colonial Farm Cocktail Spring Rolls

Colonial Farm Vegetable Samosas

Culinary Select Meatballs, Toasted Pita Bread, Cucumber, Tomato, Spanish Onion, Lemon

1 2% 22% Just Feed Me

1 7%

House Proud Old-Fashioned Cook

9 %

23 % 8 % Zappit

%

Roy Morgan Research has revealed most Australians are not actually obsessed with food despite a growing cafe culture and a large number of cooking shows currently airing on TV.

Just Feed Me

After breaking up the nation into segments based on attitudes towards food, it was found that 23% of people hold the attitude of ‘Just Feed Me’ when it comes to food. Nearly 60 per cent of this group are male.

Zappit

A large percentage (17%) fall into the ‘Zappit’ category and think that cooking is an unnecessary waste of time and that there are better things to do. is group opts for easy-to-prepare meals or take away. Men and women equally make up this group.

Take-it-Aways

Completing the ‘non-foodie’ sector of the population are the folks known as ‘Take-it-Aways’ (9%). As the name suggests, this segment (heavily skewed towards men) doesn’t

38

understand why anyone would cook when there is takeaway. As long as the takeaway’s tasty, this group is happy.

House Proud

Characterised by love of cooking and enjoyment of grocery-shopping, people in the family-oriented ‘House Proud’ segment (22% of Australians) are interested in food for both its taste and nutritious qualities.

Trendsetters

‘Trendsetters’ (9%) are all about new foods, new avours and new culinary experiences.

Entertainers

‘Entertainers’ (8%) are especially fond of food’s social aspects, whether it be at dining parties or out at ne restaurants, which this group can a ord to go to.

Old-fashioned Cooks

‘Old-fashioned Cooks’ (12%) love a traditional home-cooked meal but are not big on variety, tending to buy the same foods and brands week-in, week-out.

“ ere’s no doubt that we live in the age of the ‘foodie’, said Andrew Price, General Manager –Consumer Products, Roy Morgan Research.

“Cooking shows and celebrity chefs are just the tip of a very big iceberg which also includes organic groceries, food bloggers, food magazines, diet crazes, best-selling cookbooks and cronuts,” Price said.

“ is multifaceted culinary craze presents many opportunities for food-related businesses, but only if they have an in-depth understanding of their target market.”

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